RUI: Fluctuations in the Microwave Sky: CBR and Foreground Sources

宇宙微波背景辐射（CBR）从宇宙大爆炸起源附近的时间到达我们。因此，它编码了关于早期宇宙的物理特性和宇宙内部结构的早期演化的独特信息。最近，卫星探测到CBR的角度变化，为宇宙中超大尺度结构的起源和演化提供了重要线索。该奖项将进行的研究是在更小的尺度上研究CBR，更符合我们今天在宇宙中看到的结构的大小，比如星系和星系团。首席研究员将在微波频率下绘制一幅天空区域的深无线电地图。这将是有史以来最灵敏的天空无线电“肖像”。他将使用哈勃太空望远镜和其他仪器研究同一区域，以提供补充信息。特别是，人们希望这项研究能够提供一个更清晰的关于星系何时以及如何形成的图景。此外，这项工作将使研究前景源的特性成为可能，包括射电星系。这些来源本身就很有趣。此外，它们的发射干扰了对CBR本身的研究。这些观测将帮助天文学家描述和减少这种干扰。本科生将充分参与所有的观察和分析。首席研究员被认为是该研究领域的领导者。＊＊＊

9320049 Partridge The cosmic microwave background radiation (CBR) reaches us from a time near the Big Bang origin of the Universe. As a consequence, it encodes unique information about the physical properties of the early Universe and about the early evolution of structure within the Universe. A recent satellite detection of angular variations in the CBR has provided important clues to the origin and evolution of very large-scale structure in the cosmos. The research to be conducted in this award is a study of the CBR on smaller scales, better matched to the size of structures we see in the Universe today, such as galaxies and clusters of galaxies. The Principal Investigator will make a deep radio map of a region of the sky at microwave frequencies. This will be the most sensitive radio "portrait" of the sky ever made. He will study the same area using the Hubble Space Telescope and other instruments to provide complementary information. In particular, it is hoped this research will provide a much clearer picture of when and how galaxies formed. In addition this work will enable studies of the properties of foreground sources, including radio galaxies. These sources are of interest in their own right. In addition, their emission interferes with attempts to study the CBR itself. The observations will help astronomers characterize and minimize this interference. Undergraduate students will be fully involved in all the observations and analysis. The Principal Investigator is regarded as a leader in this research area. ***